Permit mailing and stamping machine



May 9, 1939. R. s. NILSSON PERMIT MAILING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed July 56, 1935 NUW Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERMIT MAILING AND STAMPING MACHINE Application July 30, 1935, Serial No. 33,883 In France August 4, 1934 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a permit mailing and stamping machine for letters, health insurance cards, recorded documents, and the like.

The invention has for its object to provide means to prevent improper use of the printing element of such machines either by fraudulently duplicating the printed mark by means of a carbon sheet or by making a plurality of impressions during one operation of the machine.

In the accompanying drawing wherein an approved embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are similar fragmentary views showing the parts of the printing element in different positions.

Referring to the drawing in detail the printing element designated at is mounted for vertical movement between a rear guide roller 8| and front guide rollers 19 and 80. The printing element is raised to inoperative position by means of a cam 69 secured to a shaft 64, the cam engaging a roller 61 carried by a yoke 66 fixed to the printing element.

Fingers I61 are provided in the printing block 65. These fingers are in variable number, for instance they are two in number and are so arranged as to surround the value printed, or they are three in number, one of the fingers being interposed between the digits representing francs and those representing centimes.

Each finger I61 is pivoted, at its upper end, on a lever I68 capable of rocking about a pin I69 carried by the printing block. For that purpose, the finger I61 carries a small pin I10 extending in an oblong opening "I provided in lever I68, and the latter has a nose I12 capable of engaging with one of the two teeth I13 and I14 formed on a locking member I 15.

The locking member I15 has an eye I16 through which it is mounted on a pin I11 carried by the printing block 65.

The locking member I15 has another set of teeth I18 and I19 with which can cooperate the nose I of a pawl I 8| rockably mounted about a pin I82 carried by the printing block 65.

The lever I68 is constantly urged downwardly by a spring I83 the lower part. of the locking member I 15 is attached to a spring I84, the other end of which is secured to the printing block 65; the spring I84 is disposed obliquely relatively to the vertical, so that it urges the locking member I15 both downwardly and. towards the noses I12 and I80. A spring I85, wound about the pin I 82,

urges the pawl I8I towards the locking member I15.

Abutment rods I86 and I81, rigid with frame members of the machine, in the position of rest of block 65 (which is the upper position), respectively hold the finger I61 in raised position and the member I15 in inoperative position. The finger I 61 is lifted and offset relatively to the impression face 65 of the stamping element, by the rod I86 acting on lever I68. The rod I81, by acting on looking member I15 and pawl I8I, moves these two members apart and the locking member I15 is moved out of engagement with the nose I12. For this position, the pin I11 is in contact with the upper part of eye I16.

When, during the actuation of the machine, block 65 begins to move down, the abutments I86 and I81 are disengaged; the locking member I15 comes in a position in which its edge carrying the teeth is approximately vertical, owing to the action of spring I84. Under the action of spring I85, the nose I80 of pawl I 8| engages with the upper tooth I18. Under the action of spring I83, the nose I12 of arm I68 engages with the upper tooth I 13 and the finger I61 is thereby projected outwardly relatively to the surface of the stamping element. The upper portion of the eye I16 is in contact with the pin I11 (Fig. 2).

The pressure due to the fall of the printing block on the document to be stamped or the postage of which is to be prepaid is first exerted through fingers I61, thereby avoiding fraud by duplicating the printed mark with a carbon sheet because the document placed under the carbon sheet will bear the impression of the fingers I61 and thus reveal the fraud.

Under the action of this pressure, the fingers I61 enter within the printing block, causing lever I 68 to rock about the pin I69. During this rocking movement, the nose I12 lifts the locking member I15 to a corresponding extent and the nose I88 riding over the first tooth I18, engages with the lower tooth I19. In this position the lower part of eye I16 is in contact with the pin I11. The position shown is that of Fig. 3: it is the printing position.

When the printing block begins to rise, the lever I 68 rocks under the action of spring I 83, thereby causing fingers I 61 to project. During this rocking movement, the nose I12 of lever I68 engages with the lower tooth I14. Therefore, if after printing, it is attempted with fraudulent intent, to effect a new impression without restoring the printing block to its starting position, said printing block 65 would bear on the document through the medium of fingers I61; these fingers I61 being in locked position: their pressure on the document would tend to lift the locking member H5. Upward movement of the member I15 is absolutely prevented, however, by the pin ITI abutting against the lower portion of the eye I16. In no case whatever can the stamping element then be brought into contact with a document placed underneath the same (Fi 4).

By actuating the actuating cam 69, the printing block 65 is moved to its upper position for a new operation to be effected, and the rods 186 and I81 ensure unlocking.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a permit mailing and stamping machine, a printing element having an impression face, means for raising and releasing said printing element whereby, during its fall, the impression is made, fingers movably mounted on said printing element, means for resiliently holding said fingers in a position projecting beyond said impression face during the descent of the printing element, and means for locking said fingers in projecting position only during the ascent of said printing element.

2. In a permit mailing and stamping machine, a printing element having an impression face, means for raising and releasing said printing element whereby, during its fall, the impression is made, fingers movably mounted on said printing element, means for resiliently holding said fingers in a position projecting beyond said impression face during the descent of the printing element, a locking member mounted for axial movement in said printing element, groups of teeth formed at the opposite ends of said locking element, a toothed member cooperating with one group of teeth on the locking element to lock said fingers in projecting position only during ascent of said printing element, and a pawl cooperating with the other group of said teeth on said locking element.

ROBERT SEVERIN NILSSON. 

